


medicine | ballum

by lockedinmybody



Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: Fluff, Healing, M/M, working through emotions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-04
Updated: 2019-09-04
Packaged: 2020-10-10 01:49:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20519969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lockedinmybody/pseuds/lockedinmybody
Summary: Callum sees Ben with a bruised up face for the umpteenth time, so he takes care of him.





	medicine | ballum

Ben's feet are heavy as they carry him to the door.  
He knows Callum is behind it. A vague memory of agreeing to hang out arises but he hadn't bothered to cancel, knowing that if he couldn't offer Callum a valid reason, he'd come and visit him anyway.

Callum glances to the blooming of blue on the top of his cheekbone and the cut near the corner of his mouth, a defeated look on his face as he asks to come in.  
"Do you want-" Ben starts, but Callum holds up a hand as he immediately heads for the kitchen.  
Ben sighs softly, breath shuddering on the exhale.  
He's nervous, he realises.  
Every time Callum has to see him like this is another opportunity for it to be the last straw, the thing that makes Callum see that Ben's not worth the hassle.

He comes back from the kitchen with two steaming mugs and a bag of frozen peas clamped between his arm and his torso.  
"Sit down," Callum says, but it's not unfriendly, and Ben sits down on the couch, Callum sinking down onto the coffee table, facing Ben.  
The press of cold against his face is startling, and Ben has a sharp intake of breath. He keeps his face close though, and Callum gently runs the pad of his thumb on Ben's lip.  
His touch gets even softer near the dark red stripe, and Ben follows Callum's eyes, full with concern and affection. The quiet intimate kind.

"Why do you do it?" Callum says quietly, hand now holding the side of Ben's face.  
Ben frowns. "What?"  
Callum averts his eyes for a moment, uncomfortable with what he's about to say next.  
"You don't deserve this," He says eventually, taking the bag away from Ben's face and examining the spot, "and I know you think you do. So you go out looking for a fight."  
Ben feels his heart thump in his chest, his cheeks warming up.  
"You say summat stupid, that will wind 'em up, so they hurt ya. You don't need to do that." Callum says lowly, voice just above a whisper.

Ben purses his lips. "People already find it easy to justify hurtin' ya, Ben."  
He nods at Callum. "I know." He pauses for a moment, deliberates whether or not to talk about this with Callum.  
"Sometimes it feels more fair when someone punches me for being a dick than for being gay."  
Callum actually snorts at that, and Ben gives him a faint smile.  
"I get the feeling, but as much as everyone loves a bad boy," Callum says, corners of his mouth tugged up as he brings his face close to Ben's and then he gets serious again, eyes zeroed in on Ben's, "you are a good person, Ben Mitchell."

Warmth blooms in Ben's chest, a rush of affection wanting to tumble out of his mouth but he knows it's too early.  
They have both refrained from even using the word dating to describe what they're doing, instead not acknowledging that they want to spend time together, be close. Even after everything.  
And he doesn't need to say it now, because he has a man in front of him who looks at him like he's all he sees, like he's all that matters.  
"Kiss me," Ben whispers, and Callum tilts his head to connect their mouths.  
Ben hooks his hands behind Callum's legs and tugs him closer. Callum smiles against him, and Ben smiles back.  
It's a giddy kind of happiness he's not that familiar with, but it feels so good.

Ben pulls back and wraps his arms around Callum's shoulders, and Callum's arms come around his waist as they embrace.  
Ben breathes deeply as something settles inside him.  
Callum's hands soothingly rub over his back and he feels him press a kiss to his shoulder.  
"Thank you," Ben whispers into the quiet, and Callum presses him closer.

**Author's Note:**

> hmm, not sure how i feel abt it but i had this idea stuck in my head, so there you go.  
feel free to tell me your thoughts :)
> 
> [tumblr](https://softlofty.tumblr.com/)


End file.
